


Of Constellations and Dust

by SilentAvera



Series: Kingdom Hearts: Constellations [1]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Adventure, Betrayal, friendships, watching friendship crash and burn, world building
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-04-21
Updated: 2013-06-09
Packaged: 2017-12-09 02:07:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/768738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilentAvera/pseuds/SilentAvera
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For every star in the sky, there's a particle of dust settled on a past that nobody dares to question. His name is Axel.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Of Mysteries

.

.

.

“I recall how it began with a question, and ended with the same.  


All Masters have heard the legend of the Sanctuary, of when the World was One, and likewise, how it was destroyed.  


Many Constellations have forgotten the history from whence they came, be it hidden, molded, or absorbed into their own lore, but regardless how the infinite cultures chose to interpret it, it all begins and ends the same, with a question, a mystery that would never be solved.  


I remember when I was told of one version with a great war, but a stranger, a passerby I met in-between the stars told me of another.  


When the world was Sanctuary, all was indeed one.  


Pain, suffering, trauma was as common as it was today, however, not one living thing had a heart of its own. The heart of all, resided within the glorious doors of Kingdom Hearts, and as such, all living things were given an unbreakable bond, and an unshakeable resolve in connection to it.  


A light that would never go out.  


A darkness that would never recede.  


A perfect balance of both extremes.  


But our history would not be what it was if such order was not challenged.  


No matter how simple or complex his reasoning, as such was his gift to think, and such was his will to roam, he ventured to the horizon and sought the mystery that no one was willing to question.  


And when he finally reached the core of his being, what comforted him in sleep, and urged him in rising, the glorious doors opened without hinge and revealed to him not an answer but yet another mystery.  


Such was his right to think, such was his right to will to act.  


He took his sword and carved a heart out for himself from Kingdom Hearts, not realizing he had just torn out his own.  


Upon feeling the beat within his own chest, and a tear down his cheek, his sword dropped and shattered, and a new weapon took form within his grasp.  


The Keyblade.  


The Pillars of Existence, they who architected our reality, did not question his actions, the damage had been done.  


He raised his Keyblade towards the trembling Kingdom Hearts, but before a single blow could be dealt, the Pillars manifested before the young man and bestowed upon him his penance: to use his newfound weapon to restore the balance he had so recklessly destroyed.  


The moment he carved out a heart for himself, he granted every human being the right to their own heart with the price of forever being disconnected with Kingdom Hearts. Now it was up to the wielder to maintain the Order between light and darkness.  


This lore only spurned more questions naturally, were humans truly born without hearts? Or were they locked away by some entity under the guise of benevolence, and this man was in fact a savior? Then what of the position of reality and humanity?  


One thing is certain, and that is the price of owning one. The same beat that breeds kindness and generosity can also create malevolence and despair.  


The Wielder that carved a heart into every human could not possibly shepherd the light and darkness alone, so he pleaded with the Gates, the two great pillars, to help him find the means of choosing other hearts that could manage the task, but they directed him back from whom he claimed the blade from the first place.  


And unto him, Kingdom Hearts bestowed a simple oath:  


__

_“In your hand take this Key. So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking, its wielder you shall one day be. And you will find me, friend – no ocean will contain you then. No more borders around, or below, or above, so long as you champion the ones you love.”  


 __

_

With the wisdom of the Oath to guide him, the wielder chose three other successors of strong mind and body to grant the Keyblade to, and help him keep the balance.  


But again, our tale would not be what it is today if there was not a challenge.  


Those with the Keyblade had their own will to think, and to act, and to spread the Oath.  


Not only did the Wielder grant every human a heart, he inadvertently granted them a weapon as well, and the Oath could only shepherd so many unworthy away.  


Human hearts are prone to greed, and taking things from the glorious doors without recourse was a human precedent long ago.  


…Strange monsters began to appear at the bridge of consciousness, into the creases of nightmares, until their forms cut into the very fabric of reality.  


Many a wielder began to fall at their ravenous claws and appetite for the catalyst that beat in their chest.  


Again, the Wielder pleaded to the Gates for help to save his race, and this time they responded themselves by intervening with the Wielder and fighting at his command with the lock and turn of a key.  


Needless to say, it doesn’t take much to realize that only another fallacy was to follow with such power dangled in front of a race now as so easily seduced by strength.  


If this lore is true, perhaps the Pillars were right in attempting to lock and control the power of human hearts and the weapons they can forage from it. It certainly brings a detrimental lesson to the youth I teach to make them understand the weight of the weapon they carry. A keyblade is not to be carried lightly, nor handed off so easily, since all one needs to wield one is a strong heart, and there are plenty of those, but strong minds are in shorter supply.  


The lore continues with the Crossroads of Ideals, when the age of Wielders was at its peak. Certainly there are other histories to contradict this, but most histories do agree that this turning point in our history was one of great conflict.  


The Crossroads of Ideals takes place long after the first wielder’s death, and as such, this part of the lore is what most are familiar with for it is better known as the Keyblade War.  


But again, different interpretations are as plentiful as the stars in the sky, and I myself am guilty of mixing lore to create one I consider to be idyllic, at least in teaching a lesson to one of my pupils.  


As we all know the weapon that was born from our heart, the Keyblade, was the cause of it; the desire to obtain the ultimate power for a perfect principle.  


Through eyes as un-judgmental as when they first saw Kingdom Hearts brought to its knees by a single man, the two great pillars, the Gates, watched as those who had been trusted to keep the Sanctuary in balance, completely tore it asunder with each conducive strike both in ideals and brawn.  


Kingdom Hearts was but a treasure, and the holy union between Gate and Wielder that had once saved their race, was the deciding weapon in a war of minds.  


The Key that would command both Gates without fail, the two Great Pillars of Existence, only the Wielder himself had been able to do so – should such a power be rediscovered surely the war would finally end.  


And as we all know, the end to war would not lie in the clash of metal, but the whisper of a prayer.  


And the remembrance of an ancient connection.”  


Saiix let a gloved finger trace over the delicately written words, the ink still risen enough for a nail to catch on the edge. His eyes glided over the rest of the passage to the date below, but more importantly the signature that followed, _MA Es. ___  


With one hand he balanced the book and with the other he snapped to attention a Dusk.  


“Bring Axel here, he should still be within Castle Oblivion.”  


“Don’t trouble yourself, I’m already here.”  


Axel was leaning against the doorway, arms crossed and head just tilted enough to hide his grimace on the other side.  
“Finished your sweep already?”  


“I have, but Xigbar and Demyx are just dragging their feet to be honest with you.”  


Saiix gave him a look of nonchalant disdain narrowing his eyes and pulling his lips tight.  


“That was the journal of the former master of Castle Oblivion right? So, anything? He was a wielder wasn’t he? Or did he just write fairy tales about the past?”  


“This signature would indicate that someone was at least,” Saiix responded in holding up the book, inviting Axel over to inspect for himself.  


“Good, I knew that book was worth _something,” _Axel sneered, relaxing his stance further as he walked towards Saiix, “What with the fancy symbol on the front, and how heavy it is, and, how _guarded _it was. I mean walking right into a room and taking it, _whooph, _the things you ask me to do sometimes.” Axel took a quick peek within the book before single handedly Saiix closed it with a crisp snap, a puft of dust poofing out from the aged pages and into Axel’s nose.______  


“It is worth far more than its labor to retrieve it.”  


Axel covered his mouth trying to throw off his sneeze as a masculine grumble, but he coughed none the less, “Please by all means tell me more, *sniffle* I assume I’m not just here to be berated for not sweeping a Castle that hasn’t been swept in ages.”  


Saiix held up the book so Axel could see the cover.  


“You’re not going to hit me with it now are you?”  


“Does the symbol not interest you?”  


“A triangle inside a heart, and, jewels and stuff are around it, so? Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.”  


“This symbol has no connection with any lore we’ve seen so far, not with the Castle’s, not the King, and not with the worlds under his rule.”  


“I don’t know, there’s quite a _few _worlds out there, and wielders do travel.”__  


“And perhaps to one that doesn’t belong here.”  


Axel motioned to the world around them, The World That Never Was.  


“Precisely my point,” muttered Saiix.  


Axel straightened his stance and tilted his head with a narrowed look that read “go on.”  


Saiix opened the book back up to a page where the writing was small and impeccably neat, Axel retreating slightly away in jest, “This book speaks of another Kingdom, the Kingdom of the Sovereigns. The parents of the child that gave its life to bring Sanctuary to the Gates were the ones that created it, to ensure that such a sacrifice would never be made again.”  


“Touching, but what does that have to do with the tea in China?”  


“Nothing, I thought it was sentimental detail worth mentioning.”  


Axel ran his hand frustratingly through his hair, _“Assuming that’s all even true anyway.”  
 ___

“The lore may not be, but the place in question is worth the inquiry. This book is making the claim that there are other Kingdoms besides this one, perhaps one that” –  


“Perhaps it was one _before _it. Who knows how long Oblivion has been around?”__  


“This is why journalists date their work,” Saiix responded modestly, “This entry was written approximately forty years ago.” Saiix turned a couple more pages, “And this entry here, the one I entertained you with spoke of a traveler that could have been from beyond the borders. Either way, the mystery is either this wielder got out, or someone got in.”  


_“But it’s a complete stretch none-the-less.”  
 ___

“It’s all we have to go on.”  


Axel shot a glare, “We need something solid to go on, and so far we’ve got a _dusty book _and _stories for children.” _____  


“Then perhaps you should spend less time eavesdropping and more time looking for clues if you’re so adamant on helping _our wielder _situation.”__  


“There’s nothing in that Castle that’s meant to help people, much less Nobodies! We’re not going to get anywhere heeling to scraps of history!”  
“It’s these scraps of history why I wanted to call you here in the first place. I wanted to show you that your efforts so far haven’t been in vain, no matter how little the contribution, or is that too cold and callous for me?”  


_“I should be so honored,” _Axel hissed and left through the Dark Corridors.__  


Saiix turned with a harsh exhale and placed the book with a heavy thud on an empty bookcase. The Dusk returned to Saiix’s side, “Go, check on Roxas, see if he’s shown, any improvement.”  


The Nobody left like the flicker of cloth, its smooth flesh transitioning through space to right in front of the room where the sleeping wielder lay, but he was not alone. The Fourteenth had his door cracked slightly and was peeking in, and then a whisper, “Roxas...”  


She slipped inside and the Dusk moved closer towards the entrance, peeking in, before a gloved hand grabbed it by the neck and threw it back, “Go tell him there’s no change,” said Axel before entering himself.  


Inside, Roxas looked to be asleep, there was no other explanation why his eyes refused to open for a couple of days now. He was cold, much colder than any of the other members and his breath was still.  


He wasn’t dead. When Nobodies die their existence is depleted, but here he is, preserved for lack of a better term.  


“Xion. We’re not doing him any favors by just standing here.”  


“I know, but I just had to see.”  


“….Come on,” Axel’s tone had lightened, “If you fall behind on your quota it’s only going to fall on him when he wakes up.”  


“Axel…” Xion turned around and looked at him directly, “What happened? What’s happened to him really?”  


Any answer he’d have given her would have been as empty and circle chasers as the ones Saiix had given him, but even that was more than the truth, so he gave her the truth, “I don’t know. I went to go retrieve him when he didn’t come back and, I found him like this in the Corridors.”  


“Maybe he was trying to get away from something by using the Corridors and collapsed.”  


“That’s what everyone else thinks too. The world he was on was searched top to bottom but nothing turned up.”  


“Could a Heartless have done this?”  


He knew the answer he was supposed to give, so he gave it, “Probably, which is why it’s so important for you keep to your job. If this Heartless, or thing, shows up again we’re going to need you to alert us tout suite.”  


“Don’t worry, I’ll keep my eyes peeled,” and Xion departed.  


Axel stayed behind for a moment, just a moment, “You really need to wake up, it was funny for about a day but now you’re just milking it for all it’s worth.”  


No response, and Axel left, none the wiser with nothing gained for that moment spent.  


Despite his disapproval of searching the place, Axel returned to Castle Oblivion to see if Xigbar and Demyx had found anything, _anything, _however his comrades were no where to be found.__  


“Tsk, at least I’m not the only one that thinks this place is a bust.” Be that as it may, he couldn’t help but stride over to give one last look in the room where he found the forty-year old dust collector.  


The door looked to have been blown off it’s hinges, and inside he discovered fresh deep black burning scratches gorged into the walls, shattered windows, destroyed book cases, and thick glops of black that were splattered every which way and dripping down from the walls save for one wall that had been completely busted opened.  


Axel immediately summoned his Chakrams and switched into a defensive stance walking cautiously through the open aftermath and towards the fallen wall where crunching and snapping sounds of something thick and pliable came.  


He hoped he wasn’t about to walk in on a grisly scene of an Organization member’s last moments, but what he saw was only slightly less wrenching.  


The beast’s back was facing Axel, the creature looking to be a stallion, a magnificent black horse with a mane of black ethereal wind, its tail sharing the same construct. Its head was bent down and eating bits and pieces of what looked to be some kind of purple Heartless, there was no way to tell, there were too many parts and so much oozing blackness Axel wasn’t even sure if the creature itself was really black or drenched in the blood of its prey.  


Was that even a Heartless? Since when do Heartless bleed?  


The dark stallion’s ears flickered to Axel’s presence and the creature looked up at him while simultaneously still eating the bits of the corpse. This would only be possibly if the creature was two-headed, but it wasn’t. It was split in half from the tip of its nose to the base of its neck, one half looking at Axel while the other continued to bite and rip and suck.  


Its eyes, or at least the eye looking at him, were a vibrant crimson red, and its bangs partially covered a symbol carved onto its forehead.  


There wasn’t any doubt in Axel’s mind about the solid before him, but this was rubbing salt in the wound.  


The half of the head hissed at him with the other half attempting to swallow a chunk of meat, only to have it fall out of the slice that was its gaping cheek. Both halves then looked at him, shifting like opposing magnets trying to connect, both glaring red eyes widening, ears locked forward.  


Axel clicked into battle mode and flung his Chakrams at the monster in crossed paths – _shing –TWING _– his weapons were deflected, the halves moving as fast in a counter-strike – the creature reared with a high pitched cry and stomped the ground, a small quake rattling debris and dust off the ceiling and walls. Close range combat might not be wise.__  


Axel grasped his Chakrams at the return, “Back up would be great by now, Xigbar, _Demyx” _– he unleashed a pyrokinesis attack aimed at the base of the beast in an attempt to blow a limb off, but all the he caught was air – somehow the beast sensed his motives and leapt in perfect time to the side. The creature’s halves moved and swayed independently, its legs prancing in place as its tail swished and flicked this way and that – _“Fine you want to play that way” __- _ **boom, boom, boom, BOOM!!**__ Moving the creature all about the room with explosive coaxing, cracks began to form above and below in the foundation –  
__

_“Got you now!”  
_

 ____

Unleashing Explosion* the beast was knocked up into the ceiling, SPLACK– the cracks connected – and as the monster dropped onto wobbly legs below, the ceiling dropped with it, smashing it through the floor and to a level below into darkness.  


Axel rolled his shoulders and popped his neck, “Any longer and I might have broken out into a sweat.”  


But this was great, now he had a solid, now he had something to go on of what attacked Roxas, now he had to try and not slip in this black muck, now he looked over the edge into the deep below and now…it was gone.  


_RUUUUUOGH._  


And now it was right behind him.  


Expecting a piecing through his chest, or worse, dismemberment, none of the aforementioned punishment came in the time to took him to spin around in a counter attack, instead the creature had vanished yet again, leaving only a small shimmering pink shard behind.  


He picked it up, and felt the faintest ache within his void.  


“Now we’re ta–’”  


WAP. A blinding strike struck the back of his head and Axel fell face forward with eyes blurring and white and black splotches blinking in and out of existence. He watched with slurred vision as light pale feet casually walked to the side of him, a white mitten hand pluck the shard out of his grasp, and the intruder walk smoothly towards the collapsed wall he had entered from, a _Dancer _, it was a Dancer Nobody, and its legs were dressed in some kind of shimmering armor with a long pink trailing ribbon from the hip.  
__

The Dancer turned around and waved playfully at Axel before he slipped into unconsciousness. 


	2. Shadow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That took longer than expected to get up 8l Apparently my drawing ability went poof but my writing ability remained intact so rather than waiting on what possibly could be forever let's continue on shall we? 8llll

Axel was sitting up top on the bell tower, the last rays of the sun reaching and reflecting red strongly off the glass face. There wasn't the faintest sound being emitted neither from the turning clogs nor from the altitude’s wind, only the consequence of their actions remained with the moving minuet hand and the swaying trees down below.

From the tip top of the tower the red glare expanded like a filter over Twilight Town, stretching over building after building until it reached the horizon. Axel stood up, he himself also tinted in red. Everything looked like it was on fire until his arm really did burst into flame. 

_*If he wakes up.*_

He ceased the sudden pyrokinesis with a clench of his fist, and his entire environment went dark. 

It wasn’t so much of a voice from outside, outside was still coated with the aftermath of a blow to the back of the skull; it came from somewhere much closer. Now as to where from within, he could reach into infinity from such a void. 

Feeling crept back into his hands, his arms, his torso, stomach, legs (his left one twitching slightly), and he curled his toes in his shoes. 

With a sharp inhale Axel could feel the cold hard floor against his face. With another he could feel soreness setting in from exertion he didn’t realize he put himself through. He moved to get up and discovered his arm, part of his stomach, and right leg were stuck to the floor, or the clothes that covered those parts at least. Some of the creatures’ fluids had apparently seeped under him while he was knocked out and sealed him to the floor. “Lovely.” 

Grumbling, he edged his left knee up under him, pushed up, and pulled the stuck-sticky parts of his clothes free from the suction of the black ooze, a few distinct tearing sounds following his movement. “Great, this is going to be a pain to wash out isn’t it,” he spat and stumbled up. 

He looked down and observed his would be body print with traces of his ruined fabric. It looked as if the liquid had been drawn to him by some force like magnetism. He placed his foot by one glob and waited. He had to look carefully but the liquid was moving towards him at the pace of syrup; he quickly pulled his foot back and stepped into another pool of black. 

Of that pool there was a trail of the liquid leading away from him and out through the broken wall into the room with the destroyed bookcases. The debris pile from the wall looked to have been eroded somewhat by what Axel could only deduce was the mysterious liquid running over it. 

With a stretch and a pop to his neck he followed the trail that proceeded to get more and more…sparkly. From the thin trickle of opaque black to a wider stream of sparkling night that swirled into streams of would-be stars and painted nebula clouds and constellations. 

Axel retraced his steps to make sure he was seeing right and that his vision wasn’t compromised. He wasn’t about to touch it, maybe burn it, but it was pretty. The night stream expanded a little further before ending in a crater shaped black pool with air coming up out of it as if was a giant crater. It was a giant crater. 

How long was he knocked out that some other event of castle remodeling went about without disrupting him in the slightest? Unless it had something to do with the liquid, which he still wasn’t about to touch. 

Instead Axel placed his hand over the emptiness and even through his glove he could feel the colder air rushing up into the climate of the castle. 

It seemed a pretty convincing case that this liquid was going to be worth its trouble for reconnaissance duties at least, but as far as finding anything to help Roxas, he wasn’t going to spend anymore time than he needed to with still a sore neck and what he’d like to think of as pride. 

If this, starlight sludge was responsible for eating a hole through the floor, how come it didn’t eat right through him? He continued to look down into the emptiness, and that was just it, emptiness. Compared to the other crater he was responsible for at least he could see the floor below a little, this lead to nothingness. Perhaps the glitter agent had something to do with changing the sludge’s properties to that of something acidic that could eat a hole in the castle, or rather the castle’s reality. 

He picked up a bit of rubble and retraced his steps to where the liquid began getting its traces of starlight and started to poke it. He wanted to see where it ate through and maybe about some sort of timeline or something else that could dignify him poking it, but that notion was shot to hell when he dropped the rubble and it fell through the liquid which must have hardened into some kind of rubber layer because it popped and then there was more blackness underneath and air rushing up to his face. 

“Interesting.” 

Now how to go about collecting this substance without having it tear a hole in reality in the test tube? 

“Hello?” 

It was a small cry, too far away to be completely recognizable, but it was familiar; he moved back to the crater. 

“Someone, is there anyone there?” it called again. 

“Way above you,” Axel replied, and for a split second the thought crossed his mind to jump in. 

“Someone! Anybody! Hello?!” 

“Over here!” Axel replied again, and the urge to jump in was stronger, he knew that voice. 

“If this is some kind of prank the Dusks are pulling on me again I am NOT AMUSED.” 

“Roxas?” Axel called, _it couldn’t be._

“ANYONE?! I can’t believe this, how did I end up…” his voice was getting farther away, pulling Axel right along with it, and the nobody jumped down. 

He expected a decent distance but his legs were abruptly buried up to his knees in fine black sand that seemingly absorbed all light around it. He pulled himself out, or rather crawled out over the soft sand and stumbled onto firm ground and broke out into a sprint through the darkness after Roxas’ fading voice punctuated by a scream – “ROXAS!” 

“Hello?! I’m here! DOWN HERE!” 

“I’m coming!” 

“Hello?! Who’s there?” 

“Axel!” 

_“Axel?”_

“Who else?” he said a bit out of breath, he had to be near him, his voice was too close. 

“Anyone else.” Brief exasperated laughter was exchanged and for a moment Axel forgot this boy was supposed to be in a coma and that they both were somehow in another dimension torn into by magic night goo. “Get me out of here man.” 

“I would if I could see where you are.” There was still nothing but darkness as far as the eye could see, “Wave or something, pull out your keyblade.” 

“All I can see is darkness.” 

“Same here.” 

“I think you’re above me, I slipped and fell down something, watch your feet.” 

Axel got on his knees and started searching with his hands, until one grope nearly sent him face first into a hidden abyss. “Okay I think I know where you are, take my hand.” 

“Where is it?” 

“Right here,” Axel moved it all about, “Or you know what just come to the sound of my voice, we can still hear one another, that” – Axel felt an iced grasp on his arm and then a frosty small hand wrap into his own. 

“Roxas?” 

“No it’s the boogeyman.” 

“You’re freezing! How long how you’ve been down here?” 

“Long enough, I’dve gotten myself out but the Dark Corridors don’t work here and I can’t see a thing!” 

“I’m right here.” 

“I’m looking up and I don’t see you.” 

Come to think of Axel was looking right down and couldn’t see Roxas either. He pulled Roxas up out of the hidden crevice but he may as well pulled out a ghost. He could feel him yes, hear him yes (and his continued frustrations) – he could see himself, but Roxas may as well have been painted black. “What did you cover yourself in that black soot?” Axel muttered dusting off Roxas’ hair however there was still no improvement. 

“Not intentionally,” Roxas said pushing Axel’s hand away, “And I could say the same about you,” Roxas’ attempt to ruffle Axel’s hair merely ended in him hand whopping his face. 

“Hey!” 

“You’re here, but you’re not.” 

“I can still see myself” – 

“Well I can’t see me at all! What’s happening to me? Am I fading away?” 

“Let’s just get out here,” said Axel flatly, “This place is too weird, and you’re not fading away.” Axel gripped Roxas’ hand to show him how solid he still was, “See?” he lifted his voice, “Couldn't do that if you were going all nothing on me.” 

Roxas squeezed back, “Yeah.” 

Axel led Roxas back to the source of light from the Castle, yet even when they were under a direct source of light, he still couldn’t see Roxas, “Can you see me?” 

“No.” 

“Probably this weird darkness, has to be. C’mon just watch your step up this sand.” 

“Where are we going?” 

“Up to Castle Oblivion, you can’t” – 

_“No.”_

“Hold on.” 

Axel pulled himself up, but it felt like he was climbing out a swimming pool with several coats on, especially when he hauled himself back over into the reality of the castle, he rolled onto the floor exhausted. 

“Roxas?” 

“Having a hard time, ugh.” 

“I know, take my hand again and I’ll pull you up,” despite how drained he was already. 

Again Roxas groped for him and he took Roxas’ icy hand and pulled - *THUD* - “Ow!” Nonchalantly Axel pulled again – “OW! Ow means pain Axel! Stop!” 

“What the…” 

“Why are you trying to pull me through a wall?” 

“It’s not a wall, it’s how I got in, it’s a crater in the castle that leads into this pit.” 

“Either way I don’t see it, or you, I can’t get through, it’s too solid for me,” Roxas’ hand squeezed tighter, “I’m trapped…” 

“Stop stop, don’t freak, we’ll figure this out.” 

“I’m not scared I’m worried! What’s happening to me?!” 

Out of answers that don’t spell doom, Axel took to action, “Just stay right here,” he squeezed Roxas’ hand back, “Don’t move, I’ll be right back.” 

“Where would I go anyway?” 

“Straight into trouble if you ask me,” Axel laughed, Roxas replied with the same. Reluctantly they parted their grip and Axel took off within the Castle to find one of the Organization’s storage panels. There HAD to be something in there, some kind of magic he could equip to get Roxas out. 

After rummaging through several magic supplies, the best he could come up with was some Magnet* spells. He returned to the pit quickly and looked down into the darkness. 

“Roxas?” 

“Still here, still dark, still invisible, hurray.” 

“Hang on, I’m going to get you out of there for sure, I’m going to try some Magnega* on you.” 

“Doesn’t that one, like hurt the opponent though” – *THUD* – “OW OW OW OW STOP STOP AXEL STOP” – and Roxas fells back onto the floor after being sucked up to the barrier. 

“Dammit…” 

“An apology would be nicer.” 

“I’m sorry, it’s just I don’t get this at all.” 

“Then by all means go get the other Organization members instead of thinking of more ways to hurt me.” 

“Hang on.” 

“*SIGH*.” 

“Okay I’m going to drop something down, and then you see if you can throw it back up.” 

“What is it–“ WHOP. 

Hearing the thick cover of the book making contact with Roxas’ face even made Axel flinch in pain, “I told you to watch it!” 

“It’s DARK. _Got it memorized?_ What part of I can’t see a thing is not clear to you?” 

“You can still move a little to the side right?” though the continued apology was clear in his tone. 

“I don’t want to move.” 

“Okay, just throw the book back up.” 

“Fine.” 

Axel felt it whiz by his head to land neatly behind him. 

“So is it up there?” 

“Yeah, good aim buddy.” 

“Apparently not good enough.” 

Snorting, Axel picked the book up, it was perfectly fine. 

“Hey, hurry will you?” he could hear a pain in Roxas’ voice, “I’m not feeling too great.” 

“Maybe I could just try and stick you in my panels.” 

“I’m not joking around anymore Axel I really don’t feel good, and that’s saying something for things that aren’t supposed to feel.” 

The only person he could think of who could possibly have any smarts with this was one he’d really rather not see at the moment, but his bonds with Roxas were better than anything “disagreeable” he could have with Saiix; the common interest was Roxas after all. 

“Alright I’m going to go get help,” Axel opened up a corridor, “I’ll be gone for a minuet at the most” – 

“Axel…” Roxas’ voice was faint, and then Axel heard him collapse to the ground – 

“ROXAS?!” Axel immediately jumped back down, _“Roxas!”_ Shoveling over the sand, stumbling and feeling over the black ground for Roxas’ body, he found it, and picked it up, cold as ever, ice – _“Roxas!”_ he could feel his face and there was no breath, then in that moment Roxas’ body instantly crumbled through his grasp like sand. 

He couldn't possibly process what just happened, it just couldn't have happened, but his arms were still empty, and his repeated mumbled calls growing louder and louder went unanswered – maybe if he scooped up his sand, then – *YANK* – 

Axel was gripped by the scruff of the back of his neck and pulled, rather painfully, up towards the castle’s reality, _“No wait, ROX”_ – the second yank to fully heave him up choked off his call. He was rolled over onto his back again face up to see a Shadow heartless whom he instantly shoved aside, and dove back towards the black pit – 

*No wait! Stop*!* 

That wasn't a command, it was a spell as Axel discovered being stopped helplessly in his tracks while the Shadow furiously began to dust off the black sand from him. *He’s fine! Whoever that was of the Black Dust* is fine! Please calm down!* 

The magic wore off quickly in being only a level one spell and Axel was dropped to the ground staring incredulously at the Shadow that continued to dust him. 

“My friend Roxas, he’s sand, he’s” – 

*Actually that was Black Dust*, but yes*– 

Axel gripped the small Shadow’s shoulders, _“How do I change him back?”_

The Shadow in return placed its tiny hands on the side of Axel’s face, *There’s nothing to change back, he’s already back! It’s nothing to lose your mind over, he just woke up is all. You were in a lot more trouble than he was standing in Black Dust* AWAKE! I’m glad I came back!* 

“He’s okay…? He’s…” Axel removed his hands and let them droop in his lap. 

*He’s okay!* For good reassurance measure the Shadow papped the side of Axel’s face. *Boy you are one of the more progressed ones for caring that much about another nobody.* 

“More than I can say about a heartless.” 

*Touché. And you’re welcome for being saved,* the little Shadow crossed its arms. 

Axel rubbed his face with hands trying to massage some sense into what the hell was going on. He wouldn’t be satisfied with Roxas’ safety until he saw him for himself awake back at the Organization’s Castle since all he had to go on was the word of this little blowhard of a Shadow, who apparently had enough strength to haul him out of the dark depths, and magic of its own, AND knowledge of an unknown substance, and was…wearing a pink bow at the base of its left antennae. Let’s try to reiterate, Axel spoke through his hands, 

“So Roxas is, fine? But he, turned into sand in my arms” – 

*Tragic, but yes he’s fine, you were just talking to his consciousness asleep, a dream ghost if you will. The Black Dust* is drawn to it, it takes the shape of whatever mind is wandering about down there.* 

Axel laughed shortly in disbelief, “And where, is exactly down there?” 

*Well,* the Shadow grasped its hands and poked two claws together, *I don’t exactly know how to say this except that its kinda a resting place, somewhere for peace, eternal peace.* 

“It’s a graveyard…?” that sent a hollow echo within Axel. 

*Um, yeah, but not for bodies, it’s more, um, right here,* the heartless tapped its chest. 

“I’m not sure I follow.” 

*I don’t think we’re supposed to understand, much less explain.* 

It was good enough of an explanation for Axel, he had to get back to the castle and check on Roxas. 

“Rain check that hey-thanks-for-rescuing-me favor I owe you will ya? I have to go,” that was more generosity than he intended, but if the words of the little Shadow rang true, it would be worth its effort. _*Magnega*!”_

The body of the little Shadow froze and went rigid in the grasp of the magic. Worth the effort indeed, especially now that he had a perfect solid of what the hell is going on. 

He passed through the Dark Corridors quickly with the captive Shadow in hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I still do want to draw panels. If the inspiration hits you'll know. 
> 
> Toodles with another chappie this month =w=


End file.
